Before & After: Creating a Small-Space Guestroom with method

See how we created a guestroom within our office using a murphy bed. Click for the full before & after!

Baby Girl Francois is well on her way to taking over our current guestroom come February, and with 3 bedrooms in our home: our bedroom, my office/studio, and the soon-to-be-nursery, we had to figure out a way to accommodate overnight guests comfortably without resorting to our living room sofa (our only sofa) as the royal sleeping chambers.

After much ‘what-the-heck-are-we-going-to-do-with-our-guest-bed-situation?‘ discussion, Ken and I concluded that our only real option was to add a bed to my current office and turn it into a multi-use space by re-configuring the layout.

I tossed in the idea of doing a murphy bed, because I had one in my tiny first apartment post-college, and they’re such a smart space saver. The way it folds up into itself when not in use, giving me nearly the same amount of space in my office to work on large projects as I originally had, was just too tempting to pass up!

It’s no secret that big projects like these can get messy: from parts and pieces scattered everywhere throughout the house to fugitive dust bunnies unearthing amidst the transition and taking up refuge on nearly every hard surface they can find. That’s why I’ve teamed up with method to help silence the mess. As a home DIY’er their #FearNoMess mantra is so perfectly fitting with the everyday crazy that takes place around here. I love that they use only non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients derived from corn and coconut, and their cleaners come in the most delicious scents, like French Lavender and Pink Grapefruit.

So here’s the space BEFORE. It basically was a big white box with great wood floors. My office/space met my bare minimum needs, but we hadn’t purchased anything new for the space since moving in last year, so it was all just kind of make-shift (i.e. the Ikea dresser with a work top on it. Yeah.), and the storage was in no way thought out.

The murphy bed arrived as a kit in about 1 million pieces. I didn’t count, but it had to have been close! Putting it together took over our entire living room and half the dining room, but about 7 hours later, the murphy bed was in and looking quite pretty, if I do say so. Next, we added a tall skinny shelving unit to the right of the bed to give the murphy bed a more built-in feel, as well as provide more storage. Hooks to the left of the bed were added for guest’s belongings.

Over in my office zone, in an effort to organize all the craft supplies, which used to be housed along the murphy bed wall, we installed wall shelving + baskets above my desk, and also made more efficient use of the closet in here to store everything else. The old make-shift desks went bye-bye, and we brought in new desks on wheels, so I have more flexibility when working on and photographing projects in here. Lastly, I brought in a beautiful vintage rug to help define the workspace area, bring in color and soften the overall feel.

I’m over the moon with how this space turned out, and the way it now does double duty for us, without taking away from either zone’s functionality. Now it’s on to the next project; remember that old guest room? Let’s make it a nursery!

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Sources: Vintage Persian Rug | Blue Printed Rug | Murphy Bed | Shelf | Coverlet | Duvet | Ikat Lumbar Pillow | Sconce | Woven Basket | Gold Vase | Floor Mirror | Rolling Cart Desk | Desk Chair | Desk Lamp | White Baskets

Find a full list of sources in my Guestroom Office Makeover here!

Want More Ideas?

• DIY Medicine Cabinet Makeover
• Kid-friendly Living Room Makeover

This project was created in tandem with method for their #FearNoMess & #StyleByMethod Campaigns. Thank you for supporting the brands I love which help make Francois et Moi possible!

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